Rural Wellbeing
The Rural Wellbeing project brings together rural SMEs in five countries, support organisations, and local communities to turn local nature, food, and cultural traditions into attractive well-being tourism experiences, helping rural communities become more visible and economically thriving across the Baltic Sea Region.
Rural areas in the Baltic Sea Region face population decline, fragile economies, and fragmented tourism development. Many small rural businesses have strong potential to offer unique wellbeing services based on nature, food, and cultural traditions, but they lack the skills, networks, and visibility to do so competitively.
The Rural Wellbeing project supports rural SMEs in five countries to co-create place-based wellbeing tourism offers. It focuses on selected flagship SMEs, supported by umbrella organisations, to turn local assets such as forest walks, sauna traditions, and local food into attractive and sustainable tourism packages.
Currently, SMEs cannot achieve this alone due to barriers including limited know-how, weak cross-border cooperation, and a lack of marketing reach. The project overcomes these barriers by offering joint training, peer exchange, and practical tools such as self-assessment methods, guidelines, and promotional materials.
By enabling SMEs to design and test wellbeing offers, WiN strengthens rural economies, creates new income opportunities, and fosters cultural pride. Communities benefit from new jobs and greater visibility, while visitors receive high-quality, restorative experiences. The project outcome will also inspire other regions in Europe by showing how rural resources can be transformed into innovative wellbeing tourism.
The partnership unites five organisations from across the Baltic Sea Region, each acting as an umbrella body for rural SMEs in tourism, food, and wellbeing. Together, they represent public, non-profit, and innovation actors with direct links to small businesses and rural communities, ensuring that the project is firmly anchored at grassroots level while being coordinated transnationally.
Krinova Incubator & Science Park acts as lead partner. With long experience in SME development, incubation, and international cooperation, Krinova provides coordination, financial management, and methodological support.
